Swimming-bag.



WITNESSES i g m vslvrofi v ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT GEORGE B. ANDERSON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SWIMMING-BAG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 682,160, dated September 10, 1901.

Application filed June 18, 1901.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. ANDERSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Swimming-Bags, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to apparatus commonly known as swimming-bags, designed to be detachably secured to the body of a person to support him in the water while swimming or learning the art of swimming. Such devices as heretofore commonly constructed have been in the nature of clumsy apparatus of two classes, one of which is noninflatable and is composed of light material which will float itself and a considerable weight besides, in the nature of life-preservers, and the other is merely a square bag of rubber or like material filled with air. They are not suitable for a swimmer or one learning to swim, as they not only support the body improperly in the water, but impede the movement of the limbs of the swimmer and, while supporting the body, operate to retard the forward movement of the swimmer in the water.

My invention is designed to overcome these defects; and it consists of an inflatable body of a form or shape hereinafter described adapted to conform to the body of the wearer and give support to the body only where it is required, and it is constructed, preferably, of a light elastic material, such as thin rubber cloth,the inflatable portion provided with means to inflate it, and shoulder, chest, and waist fastenings united to said inflatable portion.

In the drawings illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is an elevation of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a View of the fastening portions of the same when the apparatus is in place on the body of the wearer, and Fig. 3 is a like view of the inflatable portion of the device.

In said drawings, a, a a, a a and a a designate collectively the inflatable portion of the device, which may be constructed of a non-porous cloth, but preferably of a rubber-covered silk or thin cloth which is elastic in itself to some extent in order to better Serial No. 64,996. (No model.)

B) at or near the shoulders, the end of the tube being closed by the ordinary screwvalve commonly used on the end of air-tubes.

In devices of this character the form of the inflatable portion is largely of the essence of the structure, as the trunk of the body must be maintained in the water substantially horizontal, and to do so the air-supports must be properly distributed over the trunk. Hence the inflatable portion of the device consists of a central part adapted to extend substantially over the center of the lower back of the wearer, and from this part (1 proceed narrowed portions (indicated at a a) adapted to encircle half around the waist, other like narrow portions (indicated at a a adapted to encircle half around the chest,and still other like narrow portions (indicated at a a to extend to the shoulders. The inflatable portion aforesaid is mounted upon or connected to a cloth base A,preferably of material inherently elastic, such as rubbered or rubber-covered cloth, said mounting-cloth base extending beyond the edge of the inflatable part at the chest portion a and waist portion a, as indicated at I), while at the shoulder portion it is doubled and shaped to form shoulder-pieces, (indicated at 01,) which are adapted to be carried over the shoulders of the wearer, and through which doubled portion the retaining-straps c are to be inserted. In Fig. 1 of the drawings the dotted lines indicate the inflatable portions of the device. To the projecting extension ends b of said cloth base A suitable straps c c and m m are attached, the former at the chest-line and the latter at the Waistline, securing-buckles being attached thereto, if desired; but the straps c c are made long enough and so arranged relatively that they not only secure the device at the chest-line, but are brought around the body and up and through the shoulder portions 01 d, as seen in Fig. 1, holding the upper portion of the device securely in place on the Wearer. Any reasonable degree of inflation is within the power of the swimmer through the nipple and air-tube, even while in the water, and it is equally within his control to bind the apparatus more or less loosely to better conform to the shape of his body in any particular case. The division of the inflatable portions over the portions of the back or breast, as stated, supports the trunk horizontally at all times without in the least impeding the required movements or action of the swimmer while in the water.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A swimming apparatus consisting essentially of an inflatable bag shaped to conform to the general outline of the front or back of the trunk of the human body, that is to say, having a central portion at; below the same, two opposite narrow extensions a, a, and above the same, like opposite narrow extensions a a with two other like narrow extensions a a proceeding upward at an incline from the central portion a; means to inflate the same, and securing means adapted to fasten the device to the shoulders, chest and waist, respectively, of the wearer.

2. A swimming apparatus composed of an inflatable bag-like portion, with means to infiate the same, elastic extension-pieces b at the waist, chest and shoulder lines to which said inflatable portion is attached, and bodystraps secured to said extension-pieces, the inflatable portion of the device being shaped substantially as described to adapt it to conform to the general outline of the front or back of the trunk of the human body; substantially as described. r

3. A swimming apparatus composed of a mounting-cloth A, of elastic material, and having extension ends I), b, at the waist and chest lines and other extension ends d at the shoulders, an inflatable and elastic bag-like portion shaped to form a central part a, with narrowed extensions a, a? and a means to inflate the bag-like portion, and securingstraps attached to the extension ends of the elastic mounting-cloth of the device; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I' have hereunto affixed my signature this 7th day of June, A. D. 1901.

GEORGE E. ANDERSON.

Witnesses:

GEo. W. REED, H. T. FENTON. 

